Safety-pocket



I(No Model.)

C. MQLJOHNSUN. l sAfjBgfY Poo-KET.

Patenteddune 16, 1896.

A UUR/VNS.

NIOTGU'HIQWASMINGWWDC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICER;

CHARLOTTE MELISSE JOHNSON, OF CHARLESTON, TEST VIRGINIA.

SAFETY-POCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,361, dated June 16, 1896.' Application filed April 24, 1896. Serial No. 588,934. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLOTTE Mnnissn JOHNSON, of Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety-Pockets, of which the following is a specilication.

Y The object of my invention is to provide a pocket for garments of all kinds which will prevent the accident-al loss of articles contained therein by dropping out when stooping down, or by having the pocket-s picked; and it consists in a pockethavin g transversely arranged about its body portion a constrict ing-band of elastic material arranged upon the exterior of the pocket, and held in place by retaining-keepers, which While preventing the band from coming off altogether will nevertheless allow it to adjust itself along the body of the pocket according to the volume of contents of the pocket, as hereinafter more fully described Wit-h reference to the drawings, in which* Figure l is an inside face view of the pocket applied to a pair of trou sers as a Watch-pocket, and Fig. 2 shows the external appearance of the same.

In the drawings, A represents the fabric of the garment to which the pocket is applied, and B is the pocket itself. The mouth of the pocket is stitched into the fabric` of the garment and opens upon the exterior, as shown at l; in Fig. 2.

Transversely across the body of the pocket is arranged an elastic band C, which normally constricts the pocket and practically closes the interior chamber thereof by puckering or drawing together the material of the pocket. This band is not housed or contained within any hem or channel, butis arranged upon the exterior of the pocket so that it is always accessible for removal and renewal without requiring any stitches to be cut, or interfering with the integrity of the pocket in any Way. This elastic band is retained from falling away from the pocket by retaining-keepers ct a', and these may be constructed either by elongated slits a, whose edges are worked with a buttonhole-stitch, or tapes or strips a maybe used ,whose ends are sewed to the edges of the pocket. In either ease the elastic band encompasses the pocket inside of these keepers, and has a considerable amount of play up and down along the pocket, which permits said elastic band to automatically change its position Within certain limits to adapt itself to the contents of the pockets, it being the intention that the contents of the pocket shall be carried in the lower end of the pocket, and there securely retained by the elastic band. By having the elastic band fitted closely down upon the contents of the pocket, two advantages are secured. In the first place the contents are more tightly held against jingling about, and in the second place the constriction or puckering of the pocket is rnade so low down that it does not draw awry the slit or mouthv of the pocket which shows on the exterior of the garment.

I am aware that clasp-springs have been used for closing pockets, and that puckeringstrings and elastic bands have been used for closing the mouths of pouches, bags, the., and I make no claim to any such arrangements.

' I am also aware of British Patent No. 313 of 1866, in which one pocket is arranged within another, and a constricting-band is placed about the middleof the inner pocket. In such case there is nothing to prevent the constricting-band from being forced off the inner pocket by the act of inserting things in the pocket, in which event the safety-pocket would lose its value.

In my invention there is but one sheath, or pocket-forming bag, and while the elastic band is permitted to adjust itself up or down, so as to vary with the size of the contents, it is always prevented from slipping off the pocket by the retaining-keepers a or a'.

Another advantage that belongs to my construction of pocket is that when the constrictin g-band has closelyconformed to the contents of the partlyfilled pocket, a second pocket chamber is formed above the constrictingband, which may be utilized for ordinary purposes, While the lower or safety compartment is thus held closed about its contents.

Having thus described :my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

IOO

A pocket made of a single sheath of flexiand inolosing the elastic band to prevent it ble material having transversely arranged from falling off substantially as and for the across its body portion an exterior elastic oonpurpose described.

strieting-band unattaohed to the material of CHARLOTTE lllllLlSSE JOHNSON. 5 the pocket and longitudinally adjustable l/Vitnesses:

thereon and flexible longitudinal keepers at- VIRGINIA MUIILENBERG,

taelied at their ends to the body of the pocket RD. S. ONEY. 

